Saints in Art

Identifies the characteristic features of more than one hundred saints often encountered in sacred Western art.

Christian saints have been the objects of reverence and fascination throughout the past two millennia. Their likenesses, heroic acts, prayerful lives, and stories of martyrdom have been portrayed frequently in art of diverse media. If unfamiliar with the saints and their images and symbols, viewers of art may find it challenging to identify, for example, which saint is represented as a monk with an axe through his head, or as a beautiful girl holding a wheel, or as a woman carrying her eyes on a plate.

From Agatha to Zeno, Francis of Assisi to Mary Magdalene, Saints in Art presents the characteristic features of more than one hundred saints often encountered in sacred Western art. Each saint is introduced with a practical list of his or her unique attributes. Entries also include notes on the saints’ lives and a series of visual references to help the reader recognize these exemplary figures, their histories, and their special devotions. This useful resource is illustrated with a stunning collection of masterpieces.

Rosa Giorgi is an art historian specializing in iconography. She has written books on Caravaggio, Velázquez, and El Greco.